Found them at last! Hu Yi gazed into the water, his eyes barely making out the shadows moving far below his ship. He and his crew had been following the trail of this pack of whales for a week, always several hours behind. Until today, that is. Their boat sat a few miles away from the island volcano when they noticed the abnormal movement beneath the water’s surface.
Hu Yi turned to his crew, seeing anxious undertones lining their faces. They came along with him on a whim, and they seem to be regretting their decision. Now, Hu Yi! Now you need to step up as captain. “Alright, boys! This is it!” Hu Yi stood up tall, towering over his friends. “We’ve been tracking these whales too long to get cold feet! This whale meat will make us a fortune! We left our home as peasants, now it’s time to prove ourselves as hunters! Who’s with me?!” The men cheer, anxiety fading from their faces with Hu Yi’s leadership inspiring them forward. He picks up a spear from the floor of the boat. “Let’s get to it!”
Hu Yi sat behind his booth at the Cultural Culinary Festival, whale meat sitting on ice in front of him. Many regal people with bejeweled robes and fancy makeup had stopped by, shocked that someone was able to hunt a pack of whales and come out on top. Hu Yi greeted them with a deadpaned look as they came to the booth, but the nobles were much more focused on the fancy cuisine than the man serving it. They didn’t care what it cost to get it there.
After two hours of this repeated monotonous interaction, Hu Yi noticed something bizarre. For most of the festival, there had been a constant background noise of chattering from passersby. Now, it was almost silent. Hu Yi looked up at the festival goers, all of which were staring wide-eyed toward the large staircase leading up to the Densetsu Palace. He turned his head the same way, and saw the source of the silence. Walking down the stairs into the grounds of the festival was Empress Seong Se-Yeon herself, wearing a dress adorned with beautiful Qilin scales and a large, jewel-encrusted headdress.
“What is she doing here? The royal family almost never comes to the festival!” Hu Yi overheard the whisper from a group of noblewomen standing near the booth. The Empress reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around, smiling at all the booth owners and visitors. A Saburashi walked up behind the Empress and whispered something in her ear, and her eyes focused on Hu Yi. Her lips curled up even further and she began walking toward his booth. “She’s coming this way!” The group of women shuffled backward, not wanting to affront the Empress.
She knows I have it. Hu Yi began sweating as the Empress approached, knowing exactly what she was here for.
Hu Yi had no idea what took Saejin. His spear had pierced the flesh of one of the whales, and he was getting ready to grab another when his body was yanked off the boat into the water. Hu Yi raced to the side of the boat he was taken from, but saw no sign of his friend. Only a red stain on the ocean a few meters away. What the hell…
“Hu Yi! On the right!” Kim called out, and Hu Yi turned to see what he feared most. Sliding effortlessly through the water at high speeds was a large humanoid creature with dark eyes and a large mouth. A long tail followed the beast as it swam about, a trail of red liquid flowing behind it.
“It can’t be…”
The Empress reached Hu Yi’s booth, looking over the whale meat with earnest. “This is a very fine bounty. It’s not often you see a fisherman return from a whaling hunt.”
Hu Yi’s sweating began to get worse. “I-I appreciate the compliment, your Highness. Would you like to try some?”
She shakes her head. “Unfortunately, that is not why I’m here. See, it’s commonly known that whale hordes are often protected by Ningen.” At the mention of the name, Hu Yi shudders violently. “Ah, I see my assumption was correct.”
“Forgive my bluntness, your Highness, but what would you like from me?”
Her smile curls up again. “Then I’ll get to the point. I want the head of the Ningen, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
Hu Yi turned to his crew, seeing anxious undertones lining their faces. They came along with him on a whim, and they seem to be regretting their decision. Now, Hu Yi! Now you need to step up as captain. “Alright, boys! This is it!” Hu Yi stood up tall, towering over his friends. “We’ve been tracking these whales too long to get cold feet! This whale meat will make us a fortune! We left our home as peasants, now it’s time to prove ourselves as hunters! Who’s with me?!” The men cheer, anxiety fading from their faces with Hu Yi’s leadership inspiring them forward. He picks up a spear from the floor of the boat. “Let’s get to it!”
Hu Yi sat behind his booth at the Cultural Culinary Festival, whale meat sitting on ice in front of him. Many regal people with bejeweled robes and fancy makeup had stopped by, shocked that someone was able to hunt a pack of whales and come out on top. Hu Yi greeted them with a deadpaned look as they came to the booth, but the nobles were much more focused on the fancy cuisine than the man serving it. They didn’t care what it cost to get it there.
After two hours of this repeated monotonous interaction, Hu Yi noticed something bizarre. For most of the festival, there had been a constant background noise of chattering from passersby. Now, it was almost silent. Hu Yi looked up at the festival goers, all of which were staring wide-eyed toward the large staircase leading up to the Densetsu Palace. He turned his head the same way, and saw the source of the silence. Walking down the stairs into the grounds of the festival was Empress Seong Se-Yeon herself, wearing a dress adorned with beautiful Qilin scales and a large, jewel-encrusted headdress.
“What is she doing here? The royal family almost never comes to the festival!” Hu Yi overheard the whisper from a group of noblewomen standing near the booth. The Empress reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around, smiling at all the booth owners and visitors. A Saburashi walked up behind the Empress and whispered something in her ear, and her eyes focused on Hu Yi. Her lips curled up even further and she began walking toward his booth. “She’s coming this way!” The group of women shuffled backward, not wanting to affront the Empress.
She knows I have it. Hu Yi began sweating as the Empress approached, knowing exactly what she was here for.
Hu Yi had no idea what took Saejin. His spear had pierced the flesh of one of the whales, and he was getting ready to grab another when his body was yanked off the boat into the water. Hu Yi raced to the side of the boat he was taken from, but saw no sign of his friend. Only a red stain on the ocean a few meters away. What the hell…
“Hu Yi! On the right!” Kim called out, and Hu Yi turned to see what he feared most. Sliding effortlessly through the water at high speeds was a large humanoid creature with dark eyes and a large mouth. A long tail followed the beast as it swam about, a trail of red liquid flowing behind it.
“It can’t be…”
The Empress reached Hu Yi’s booth, looking over the whale meat with earnest. “This is a very fine bounty. It’s not often you see a fisherman return from a whaling hunt.”
Hu Yi’s sweating began to get worse. “I-I appreciate the compliment, your Highness. Would you like to try some?”
She shakes her head. “Unfortunately, that is not why I’m here. See, it’s commonly known that whale hordes are often protected by Ningen.” At the mention of the name, Hu Yi shudders violently. “Ah, I see my assumption was correct.”
“Forgive my bluntness, your Highness, but what would you like from me?”
Her smile curls up again. “Then I’ll get to the point. I want the head of the Ningen, and I won’t take no for an answer.”